Platform-gear for vehicles.



J. ERRETT.

PLATFORM GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIGATION FILED AfR. 13, 1910.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

JOSEPH. ERRETT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PLATFORM-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Application filed April 13, 1910." Serial No. 555,278.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ERRETT, a resident of-Cleveland, in thecounty of Guyahoga and State of Ohio,'have' invented a new and usefulImprovement in Platform- Gears for Vehicles, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing s, forming part of this specification, in

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a platform gear embodying myinvention, the view being taken from the under side looking upwardly.Fig. 2 is a detail perspeci tive view showing the bottom bolster platecap. .Fig. 3 is a similar view showing one ofthe rear pole-hound plates.Fig. 4: is a similar view showing one of the front polehound plates.Fig.5 is a plan view showing a modified form of the truss rod.

My invention hasrelation to platform gears for vehicles, and moreparticularly to that class of platform gears which have the pole-houndsextending continuously from the splinter bar to a point beyond the rearof the circle, where they rest upon and are attachedlto a transversespring bar carried by the platform cross spring. Gears of this typeusually have side hounds which are more or less curved, their rear endsforming a part of the circle bearing and having the ends of the crossbolster mortised into them. These gears are of the coach platform typeand arecommonly known in the trade as New York, Pittsburg or St.

Louis gears. These gears are expensive to make and thepole-hounds, ascommonly made, with a continuous plate or liningfon' the bottom of them,have a tendency to sag under the load. To remedy this it is neces-- saryto remove'thegear from the vehicle,

detach the spring and remove and shorten the pole-hound plates byupsetting. This operation means a considerable outlay of time and moneyas well as loss of the use of the vehicle.

My invention is designed to provide means of simple and eflicientcharacter whereby, when the gear sags or settles under the load, theymay be readily leveled without removal from the vehicle or loss of useof the vehicle, and without expense by the simple application of awrench.

To this endv my invention consists in a novel truss arrangement for thepole-hounds by means of which the gear may be quickly and easily leveledas above described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown thepreferred form of my invention, the numeral 2 designates the usualsplinter bar, 3, 3 the polehounds, 4, 4 the side hounds, which are ofthe curved form above referred to and which at their rearend portionsform a part of the bearing for the circle 5.

6 designates the usual cross bolster, 7 the linch pin and 8 the hamerstrap.

9 designates the rear hound plates which are secured to the under sidesof. the rear end portions of the pole-hounds 3, and which are formedeach with a sleeve portion 10. The rear end of each hound plate has-aflange 11-which covers the rear end 1 of the hound, and which forms abearing for the truss rod nut 12. These rear hound.

plates are preferably made with a clip tie 13 near the rear end of thehound, so that a clip 14 may embrace the hound to prevent the wood fromsplitting.

15 designates the front pole-hound plates which are secured to the underside of the front end portions of thepole-hounds and which are eachformed with notched and re cessed lugs 16 to receive the heads of thetruss rods. These truss rods are shown at 17,

their front ends having heads 18 which engage the lugs 16 in themannershown in Fig. 1, and their rear ends extending through the sleeveportion. 10 of the rear hound plates and secured by the nuts 12. Thetruss rods have an intermediate support on the struts 19. These strutsare shown as being carried by the bolster plate cap 19. This cap ispreferably used when the bottom bolster plate is made in two pieces asshown, but when this plate is made in one piece, as is sometimes thecase, these struts may be formed separately and secured to the plate inany desired manner. Inthis type of gear the pole-hounds carrypractically the entire load, and, as above stated, are aptto sag underthe load. In the construction described, all that is necessary tosupport this sag and to level this. gear is to apply a wrench to thenuts 12 and tighten up the truss rods. These truss rods may consist oftwo separate rods as shown in Fig. 1, or'as shown in Fig. 5 they may bemade from one continuous bent rod, the forward end formto existinggears, the only modification required being in the form of the front andrear pole-hound plates and in the provision of suitable struts carriedby the cross bolster.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the generalconstruction of gears of the type to which my invention is applicableand that the details ofconstruction and arrangement of the partsconstituting the invention may be varied without de parting from thespirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a platform gear of the class described, a pole-houndhaving frontand rear hound plates secured to its under side, one of said houndplates having a sleeve portion, and the other of said plates having ahook or lug, of a truss rod enga ing the hook or lug and passing throughsaid sleeve portion, a nut engaging one end'of said truss rod, and acentral strut or support for the truss rod carried by the cross bolster;substantially as described.

2. A platformgear of the class described, having a transverse splinterbar, pole hounds to'which the splinter bar is secured, side houndssecured to the splinter bar at their.

front ends, and forming a part of the circle at their rear end portions,a cross bolster connecting the pole and side hounds, and a truss rodextending underneath each of the pole hounds and secured thereto at theends, together with bearings for said rods carried by the cross-bolster,substantially as described.

3. A platform gearof the class described, pole hounds, side hounds, atransverse splin ter bar connecting said hounds and having a truss-rod,a cross bolster, and a truss rod underneath each of the pole hounds andcon-' nected thereto at its front. end back of the splinter bar andhaving a strut bearing car ried by the cross bolster, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I have my hand.

JOSEPH ERRETT.

hereunto set Witnesses JOHN M GRATH, I DANZI E IV. GARRINGTON.

